The Christ Over Asia, Latin America and Africa (COALA) movement has released the official communiqué and partnership statement from its third global gathering, COALA 3.0, which convened in Panama from April 27 to 29, 2025. The event brought together 63 key church and mission leaders from 18 Majority World nations to strengthen collaboration and deepen theological unity across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
The resulting Panama Partnership Statement outlines COALA’s commitment to fostering mutual partnerships in global mission, grounded in biblical faithfulness, authentic unity, and the guiding presence of the Holy Spirit. A significant outcome of the gathering was the signing of a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) between COMIBAM and a major Asian nation to facilitate missionary exchange—a milestone praised by participants that Christian Daily International previously reported about.
COALA also released a newly formulated “Statement of Our Common Faith,” articulating a shared theological foundation rooted in Christ’s lordship, the role of the Holy Spirit, and the leadership of Majority World churches in global missions.
The full text of the Panama Partnership Statement and the Statement of Faith are included below:
Panama Partnership Statement
Preamble
The 20th century has witnessed a profound shift in the global church. For the first time in the modern mission era, the center of gravity of Christianity has moved decisively from the West to the rest of the world—what is known as the Majority World (MW), encompassing Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Pacific Island and the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) regions. Once led predominantly by Western churches and missionary institutions, global missions is now increasingly powered by movements and churches in the MW. This marks a significant turning point in the history of the Church, a transition we believe is being orchestrated by the work of the Holy Spirit.
COALA emerged in this context, and we seek as a movement under God, to shape and influence the vision, scope, scale and health of Majority World missions. This Panama Partnership Statement is the fruit of our deliberations over the last 2 days.
Declaration
United in the bond of the Spirit, we as representative MW national and regional mission leaders, church leaders, theologians and practitioners, affirm that COALA is to be “a network of regional and national majority world mission movements.”
Resolutions
Common Ground in Christ
(Ephesians 4:4–6)
We affirm that the common ground of our mission is found in a Christ-centered vision of mission, the Missio Christi (Mission of Christ). His incarnation, passion, resurrection, exaltation, Spirit-gifting and future return are for all times and places, the model, means and motivation for our mission together.
Furthermore, we affirm that the Church of Jesus Christ is, in its essence, one body beyond regions and cultures. Embracing one another’s strengths in humility, we urge all churches and mission communities to work together in unity. We are confident that Christ will build His church as we obey His command to take the Gospel to all peoples everywhere, for all time.
Mutual Partnerships in Mission
(1 Corinthians 3:9)
We affirm the priority of biblical-faithful mutuality and collaboration. We urge sending churches and mission agencies worldwide to move beyond paternalistic and inherited models that are power-imbalanced. Instead, we urge them to embrace authentic mutuality and reciprocal partnerships with, and between, global and local/indigenous churches. All decisions concerning mission efforts must include the voices of local believers, and plans must be co-created with shared responsibility between sending, missionary and receiving churches. We resolve to work in synergy through God’s enabling, by humbly listening to each other, sharing and receiving each other’s gifts and resources, and together to discern and faithfully fulfil God’s mission together.
Vital Role of the Holy Spirit
(Acts 1:8)
We affirm, by the instructions of our Lord Jesus (e.g., Luke 24:49; John 14:26; 16:13-14, Acts 1:4-5, 8) and the example of the Apostles in the New Testament in the book of Acts (e.g., Acts 13:2; 15:28; 16;7) —that missionaries must serve and function under the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, as instructed by Christ, the Head of the Church. It is primarily the work and leading of the Holy Spirit that makes God’s mission viable and fruitful.
Global Mission Collaboration through COALA
(Philippians 1:5)
We affirm that all churches worldwide are called together into God’s mission. We wholeheartedly encourage international mission cooperation between sending entities, missionaries and receiving entities. Through platforms such as COALA, we will foster regular communication and collaboration among churches and mission movements in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, as well as with the wider Church. We commit to establishing and executing collaborative mission strategies through these partnerships.
Next Steps
In the light of this declaration and resolutions, we of COALA 3.0 further resolve to take concrete actions to accelerate mission engagement in and through our churches and movements by proposing we do the following:
- Coordinate our efforts through a Facilitating Team under the chair of Dr. Jonas Kang of the Korean World Missions Association (KWMA);
- Stimulate and encourage the development of MW missiological thinking, practice and methodology through continued, mutual and prayerful dialogue, development and discernment at future COALA regional and global gatherings;
- Catalyze and support intra-regional and national collaboration and partnerships in the MW and wider world;
- Create and maintain a repository of helpful resources, best practices and co-creative learning relevant to, and supporting, contextual and emerging mission practice for the MW;
- Continue to meet at future conferences to set and shape further goals.
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A Statement of Our Common Faith
The Lordship of Jesus Christ Across Continents and Creation
We confess that Jesus Christ is the Sovereign Lord over all the earth, reigning as the Head of the Church and the Ruler of all creation. His authority extends across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and every corner of the world. In obedience to His Great Commission (Matthew 28:19–20), we affirm our commitment to proclaiming the gospel of salvation to every nation, tribe, and tongue, recognizing that His Lordship is proclaimed through the mission of the Church.
A New Era of Majority World Missions: A Global Christian Awakening
We recognize that the heart of global Christianity has shifted, with the Majority World—Asia, Africa, and Latin America—now playing a central role in God’s mission. Missions are no longer centered in the West but are now a global movement of the Church, with believers from every region reaching out to all peoples. We celebrate the growing leadership of churches and movements in the Majority World, who now serve as sending entities in the global missionary movement.
Empowered by the Holy Spirit and Sustained by Prayer
We confess that the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit are the foundation of all mission work (Acts 16:9-10). Just as the early church depended on the leading and empowerment of the Spirit in its mission (Acts 1:8), we believe that today’s mission must be rooted in the same dependence on the Holy Spirit. Prayer, spiritual discernment, and full reliance on God are central to the fulfillment of the Missio Dei, the mission of God in the world. We commit ourselves to seeking the Spirit’s guidance, empowerment, and direction in all our mission endeavors.
United in Purpose: One Body, One Mission
We emphasize the importance of the global Church working together as one in Christ. No single denomination or cultural group should dominate the mission of God. Rather, all churches—regardless of their backgrounds—are called to be equal partners in God’s mission. We pursue authentic partnerships, based on mutual equity with humility and respect and a commitment to unity among local churches, mission agencies, and global church networks. We believe that in Christ, there is ONLY one body, one mission to one purpose: the glory of God and the proclamation of the gospel to all nations.
Empowered Locally, Reaching Globally – Sustainable Growth through Local Missions
We believe that missions led by local churches and movements are the key to sustainable, culturally relevant growth. Local congregations have been uniquely called and gifted to carry the gospel within their specific cultural, social, and historical contexts. We are convinced that locally led mission strategies will bear the most enduring fruit, and we commit to establishing missional theology and practices that prioritize the empowerment of the local church in reaching both their communities and the world. As the Body of Christ, we seek to cultivate deep partnerships that encourage the holistic, Spirit-led transformation of individuals and societies through locally driven mission efforts.
